Uncoupling arrangement for a railway dump car



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Dec. 31, 1963 F. c. KULIEKE, JR 3,115,973

UNCOUPLING ARRANGEMENT FOR A RAILWAY DUMP CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FilvedFeb. 16, 1962 United States Patent O 3,115,973 UN CUPLING ARRANGEMENTFOR A RAILWAY DUMP CAR Frederick C. Kulieke, Jr., Alliance, hio,assignor to lAmsted Industries Incorprated,-Chicago, Ill., a corporationof New Jersey Filed Feb. 16, 1962,l Ser. No. 173,651 4 Claims. (Cl.213-166) 'Ilhis invention relates to an uncoupling mechanism for rotarydump railway cars.

As conventional rotary dump railway cars are provided at one end thereofwith couplers adapted to rotate relative to their cars, it is necessaryto provide an uncoupling mechanism which is not connected to thecoupler.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an uncouplingmechanism operable to actuate a rotary locklift lever of aconventionalbottom operating coupler Without being connected thereto,tothereby permit rotational movement of the car and uncoupling mechanismrelative to the coupler when the car is being rotated to an invertedposition to discharge the contents therefrom.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of anuncoupling mechanism comprising a generally U- shaped member journaledat its ends on the car and connected to the inboard end of an operatingrod journaled at its outboard end on the car, the rod being manuallyrotated to pivot said U-shaped member upwardly to engage and actuate larotary locklift lever to unlock a conventional bottom rotary operatingcoupler.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of anuncoupling mechanism which is relatively simple and inexpensive inconstruction and reliable in operation.

The invention embodies other novel features, details of construction andarrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in thespecification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming part thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View illustrating an uncoupling mechanismembodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the uncoupling mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary View in front elevation showing the operatingrod held in iixed position by a safety latch when the car is rotated toits inverted dumping position.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, the uncoupling mechanism is shown as mounted on a railwaydump car 2 to actuate a rotary locklift lever 3 of a conventional bottomrotary operating coupler 4 mounted for rotational movement relative tothe car.

The u-ncoupling mechanism is shown as comprising a generally U-shapedmember 6 formed from a length of round rod stock to provide sidesections 7 having inturned end portions 8 journaled in bearings 9secured to the car 2 on `opposite sides of the coupler 4, the sidesections being interconnected by a lever engaging section 11.

An operating rod 12 is journaled adjacent its outboard end in a bearingbracket 13 secured to the car 2, the outer end of the rod extendingdownwardly to provide a handle 14 normally in abutting engagementagainst a stop member 16 on the car. The inboard portion of the rod 12extends downwardly and across the adjacent side section 7 and thenceupwardly at 17 along the inner side of said section to terminate at aneye portion 18 mounted on the adjacent inturned end portion 8. The sidesection 7 is connected to the rod `12 by means of a U-shaped member 19welded at its end to the rod.

liifi Patented ec. 31, 1963 A key 21 is secured on the rod 12 forengagement in a keyway 22 formed on the bearing `bracket 13 to preventaccidental rotational movement of the rod. The bracket 13 is formed withan elongated bearing aperture 23 to permit the rod to be manually raisedto disengage the key 21 from the keyway 22 and then rotated to unlockthe coupler.

To Ip-revent accidental rotation of the operating rod 12 during rotarydumping movement of the car, a latch 24 is-pivotally suspended at 26 ona latch bracket 27 secured to the car. The latch 24 is normally spacedabove the rod 12, as shown in FIGURE 2, and is formed with end surfaces28 movable into abutting engagement -with the rod, as shown in FIGURE 4,responsive to rotational movement of the car. It will be noted thatgravitational pivotal movement of the latch is limited in eitherdirection by abutting engagement .of the latch against the top wall 29yof the latch bracket 27.

In the operation of the uncoupling mechanism thus shofwn and described,the operator lifts the rod 12 to raise the key 21 out of the keyway 22and then rotates the rod to pivot the member 6 upwardly to engage andactuate the rotary locklift lever 3 to thereby unlock the coupler.During rotary dumping movement of the car, the coupler 4 is held againstrotational movement with the car by the mating coupler on an adjacentcar.

When the car is in its normal upright position, the key 21 is engaged inthe keyway 22 in the bracket 13 and prevents .accidental rotationalmovement of the rod A12. During rotation of the car, the latch 24 pivotsby gravity to engage the rod and maintain the key 21 in the keyway 22.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it Will be obviousto those skilled in the tart that it is not so limited but issusceptible of various changes and modifications without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and the scope of the depending claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary dump railway car, a coupler mounted for rotation relativeto the car and provided with a rotary locklift lever, a generallyU-shaped member journaled at its ends on said car for upward pivotalmovement to engage and actuate the locklift lever, an operating rodjournaled on said car and having its inboard end connected to saidmember for common rotational movement, and a handle depending from theoutboard end of said rod, means to prevent accidental rotationalmovernent of said rod when the car is in its normal upright position,and other means coacting with said first mentioned means to preventaccidental rotational movement of said rod when the car is rotated toits inverted dumping position.

2. In a rotary dump railway car, a bottom operating coupler mounted forrotation relative to the car and provided with a rotary locklift lever,two bearings secured to the car on opposite sides of the coupler, agenerally U-shaped member having inturned end portions journaled in saidbearings, a bearing bracket secured to the car, an operating rodjournaled in said bearing bracket and having its inboard end connectedto said member for limited universal movement, a handle depending fromthe outboard end of said rod adapted to be manually operated to pivotsaid member upwardly to engage and actu-ate the rotary locklift lever tounlock the coupler, said member having a side section normalto itsadjacent end portion, said rod having an eye portion mounted on saidadjacent end portion, and a U-shaped member on said rod engaging saidside section.

3. In a rotary dump railway car, a bottom operating coupler mounted forrotation relative to the car and provided with a rotary locklift lever,two bearings secured to the car on opposite sides of the coupler, agenerally U-shaped member having inturned end portions journaled in saidbearings, a -`bearing bracket secured to the car, an operating rodjournaled in said bearing bracket and having its inboard end connectedto said member for limited universal movement, a handle depending fromthe outboard end of said rod adapted to be manually operated to pivotsaid member upwardly to engage and actuate the rotary locklift lever tounlock the coupler, said member having a side section normal to itsadjacent end portion, said rod having an eye portion mounted on saidadjacent end portion, a U-shaped member on said rod engaging said sidesection, means including a key on said rod engaged in a keyway in saidbearing bracket to prevent accidental rotational movement of said rodwhen said car is in its normal upright position, and a safety latchpivotally mounted on said car and coacting with said means to preventaccidental rotational movement of said rod when the car is rotated toits inverted dumping position.

4. In a rotary dump railway car, a bottom operating coupler mounted forrotation relative to the car and provided with a rotary locklift lever,two bearings secured to the car on opposite sides of the coupler, agenerally U-shaped member having inturned end portions journaled in saidbearings, a bearing bracket secured to the car, an operating rodjournaled in said bearing bracket and having its inboard end connectedto said member for limited universal movement, a handle depending fromthe outboard end of said rod adapted to be manually operated to pivotsaid member upwardly to engage and actuate the rotary locklift lever tounlock the coupler, said member having a side section normal to itsadjacent end portion, said rod having an eye portion mounted on saidadjacent end portion, a `U-shaped member on said rod engaging said sidesection, means including a key on said rod engaged in a keyway in saidbearing bracket to prevent accidental rotational movement of said rodwhen said car is in its normal upright position, and a safety latchcoacting with said means to prevent accidental rotational movement ofsaid rod when the car is rotated to its inverted dumping position, saidlatch being pivotally mounted on the car for gravitational movement intoabutting engagement with said rod responsive to rotation of the car toits inverted position to prevent movement of said key from its keywayand accidental rotation of said rod.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS833,434 Bazeley Oct. 16, 1906 2,129,165 Conwell Sept. 6, 1938 2,356,336Metzger Aug. 22, 1944 2,528,439 Kinne Oct. 31, 1950

1. IN A ROTARY DUMP RAILWAY CAR, A COUPLER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION RELATIVETO THE CAR AND PROVIDED WITH A ROTARY LOCKLIFT LEVER, A GENERALLYU-SHAPED MEMBER JOURNALED AT ITS ENDS ON SAID CAR FOR UPWARD PIVOTALMOVEMENT TO ENGAGE AND ACTUATE THE LOCKLIFT LEVER, AN OPERATING RODJOURNALED ON SAID CAR AND HAVING ITS INBOARD END CONNECTED TO SAIDMEMBER FOR COMMON ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT, AND A HANDLE DEPENDING FROM THEOUTBOARD END OF SAID ROD, MEANS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL ROTATIONALMOVEMENT OF SAID ROD WHEN THE CAR IS IN ITS NORMAL UPRIGHT POSITION, ANDOTHER MEANS COACTING WITH SAID FIRST MEMTIONED MEANS TO PREVENTACCIDENTAL ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ROD WHEN THE CAR IS ROTATED TOITS INVERTED DUMPING POSITION.